Quantum Corp. (QTM) has introduced a new partner program that it says enables managed service providers (MSPs) and value-added resellers (VARs) to expand their businesses with a cloud backup as a service (BaaS) offering, powered by Quantum’s virtual deduplication appliances and vmPRO backup software.

The new program includes training, marketing resources, trial and demo software and technical support.

The data protection and big data management provider's all-virtual, all-software approach and capacity-based subscription pricing aims to allow MSPs and VARs to brand, market and sell cloud BaaS offerings, which, according to the company, scales as the provider’s revenue grows, thereby reducing the need for large upfront capital expenditures on hardware.

"As an MSP adds customers and revenue, they can scale their service accordingly," said Quantum Virtualization and Cloud Solutions Product Marketing Manager Casey Burns. "Thus an MSP’s cost basis scales as revenue grows."

According to Quantum, participating MSPs and VARs have access to the tools necessary to provide backup and disaster recovery (BDR) services to customers, including the following:

"We provide all the technical and support training that all of our Gold and Platinum level partners has access too with specific trainings around the virtualized DXi instances," Burns said. "This training is extensive to the point where the MSP will be certified to provide first level support for their customers directly, providing a higher level of services to their customers."

Burns said Xerox (XRX), BlackBridge and Hipskind are examples of service providers that have built cloud BaaS-based offerings on the Quantum technology being provided in the company's MSP program.

"Their success has served to create a model for other companies to follow," he added.